Lipstick



E. NOYACK ETAL LI PSTICK Filed April 28, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS EDWARD NOYACK EDW/N L- TE/UHLL ATTORNEYS Au 29, 1967 NOYACK ET AL 3,338,397

LIPSTICK Filed April 28, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EDWARD NOVACK EDWIN 1.. TERR/L A T TORNE VS Aug. 29, 1967 Filed April 28, 1965 E. NOYACK ET LIPSTICK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mnuuunnuuuuu nnuuuuuunn ii INVENTORS EDWARD NOVACK EDWIN L. TERk/LL JWZ/zm ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,338,397 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 3,338,397 LIPSTICK Edward Noyack, Seymour, and Edwin L. Terrill, Naugatuck, Conn., assignors to The Risdon Manufacturing Company, Naugatuck, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 451,541 4 Claims. (Cl. 20656) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lipstick case of the propel-repel type in which a rack and pinion arrangement is employed for advancing .and retracting the cosmetic mass, incorporating a simpli- 'fied arrangement for assembling the lipstick case components.

This invention relates to a cosmetic container, and more particularly to a lipstick case for a cosmetic mass supported therein.

The lipstick case of the invention is of the type generally referred to in the art as a propel-repel stick and is so constructed and arranged as to permit the user to metic mass may be moved to and from applicating position. In contrast to many of the prior cases, the present design permits simple, one-hand positioning of the cosmetic mass in the case.

It is also an object of the present invention to simplify the construction of a lipstick case, reducing the number of parts to a minimum and simplifying their construction and assembly, mass production techniques.

Another object is to provide a propel-repel lipstick device which affords smooth, positive action of the mechanism, and which is free of annoying tendency of the ele- A vating mechanism to stick or to fail to mass properly. Coincident with this, it is an object of the invention to eliminate rattle of component parts of the lipstick case frequently unavoidable in prior lipstick designs in order to make them freely operable. The foregoing are but some of the more important objectives achieved in the construction herein disclosed.

The invention is illustrated by the specific design shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinafter. It will be understood that such drawings and description are illustrative of but one embodiment and that the invention is capable of specifically different designs coming within the concept defined in the appended claims and the permissible equivalents thereof.

raise and lower the to provide a design especially suited to In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the assembled lipstick case;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a View in side elevation of an upper case member, partly broken away and in section for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 4 is likewise a view in side elevation of the same component as seen in FIG. 3, but viewed from a direction at right angles to that of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the FIG. 3, looking from above;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a cover member, partly broken away to show the interior;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but looking in a direction at right angles to the illustration in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the cover member of FIG. 6, looking from above;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a lower case member;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the member shown in FIG. 9, looking from above;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view, in cross-section, of a molded insert telescopingly received within the outer case members;

FIG. 12 is an end view, looking from above in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary View inside elevation, taken on line 131 3 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 1414 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a cosmetic mass elevator, in cross-section;

FIG. 16 is a side View similar to FIG. 15 but looking in a direction at right angles to that of the previous view; and

FIG. 17 is a view of a thumb-operated pinion member.

The assembled lipstick 20, as seen in FIG. 1, comprises a cover member 22, a lower case member 24, an upper case member 26, an insert or base member 28, a pomade or cosmetic mass elevator 30 and a thumb-operated pinion 32. Preferably the cover and lower and upper case members are drawn metal shells, while the insert, pomade elevator and pinion are formed of molded plastic, e.g. a high strength methacrylate or polyethylene polymer.

Lipstick 20 is of generally elliptical or teardrop crosssection, having major and minor diameters as appears in FIG. 2. Cover 22 is telescopingly received on upper case 26, making a light sliding contact thereon and readily removable therefrom by pulling endwise of the stick. The pomade mass P is thus exposed at the upper end of the lipstick and may be axially projected from the case to permit application to the lips of the user. The propel-repel mechanism for accomplishing this consists of a rack-andpinion comprising toothed pinion 32 and a toothed stem or tail 34 on elevator 30.

As seen in FIG. 2, pinion 32 is journaled on studs 36 in an axial slot 37 disposed'along'the major diameter of insert 28. When positioned in insert 28, as will be more fully described presently, a portion of the toothed pecomponent shown in ripheryof the pinion is exposed through an access aperture 38 in upper case 26. By thumbing up or down on the exposed periphery of the pinion, it is rotated to produce the desired extension or retraction of the lipstick pomade. This is accomplished by engagement of pinion 32, diametrically opposite access aperture 38, with stem 34 which depends from the bottom of pomade-receiving cup 40. Insert 28 is formed with an axial bore 42 (see FIG. 11) within which stem 34 is received. Transverse slot 37 intersects bore 42 adjacent its upper end to make communication therewith. A plurality of teeth are formed on one face of stem 34 to provide the rack for engagement by the correspondingly toothed periphery of pinion 32 within slot 37.

Pomade cup 40 is of tear-drop cross-section, conforming with the cross-section of upper case member 26 and making an easy slide fit therein. This serves to prevent turning and to guide the elevator against axial cocking as it is raised and lowered. The stem 34 of elevator 30 is similarly guided by the wall of bore 42 in insert 28, the lower tip of the stem being provided with a boss or abutment 46 which makes a bearing fit Within bore 42. This bore also serves as a stop, limiting the upward movement of elevator, by abutting against a similar boss 48 formed interiorly at the upper end of bore 42. Boss 48, by bearing against the back face of stem 34, as seen in FIG. 1, in a region which is generally opposite the point of contact of pinion 32 with stem 34, assures positive meshing of the rack and pinion at all positions of the elevator.

Assembly of elevator 30 with insert 28 may be accomplished in the following manner. Prior to placing upper case member 26 on insert 28, pinion 32 is positioned in the insert by aligning the stub axles 36 with the minor diameter of insert 28, as seen in FIG. 2, and then sliding the axles downwardly along the sidewalls of slot 37. For this purpose, axle-receiving socket means comprising bayonet slots 50 are formed in the opposite side walls of slot 37. Each of the bayonet slots has a leg opening on to the upper end of insert 28, while its other leg extends generally parallel to the major diameter of the insert. Axle stubs 36, upon reaching the horizontal legs of bayonet slots 50, permit the pinion to be moved laterally away from bore 42, in the direction of the major diameter of the case. Stem 34 of elevator 30 may then be cocked at an angle to bore 42 and inserted between pinion 32 and boss 48 at the upper end of bore 42. This will permit boss 46 on the lower end of tail 34 to be forced past its cooperating boss 48, whereupon the elevator may then be righted into axial alignment with the bore for telescoping reception therein. The foregoing assembly operation is facilitated where the insert 28 and elevator 30 are formed of molded plastic material, since this has a certain amount of resiliency which will permit temporary deformation in the areas of abutments 46, 48 as they are forced past each other. This deformation is temporary and the material returns to its original shape after the distorting forces are removed, so that member 46, 48 thereafter serve as a stop-means for preventing accidental withdrawal of the stem 34 from the bore of insert 28.

It will be noted that in the arrangement just described, pinion 32 is effectively locked in the insert by stem 34 of the carrier. The assembly of the lipstick is completed by enclosing insert 28 in lower case member 24, placing upper case member 26 over the exposed portion of elevator 30 and finally placing cap 22 over the open end. Case 26 is provided at its lower end with a belled or skirted portion 52, with aperture 34 is registry with the exposed periphery of pinion 32. Nibs 54, formed in the shell just above skirt 52, provide frictional retention for cover cap 22.

It is sometimes desirable but by no means indispensible to incorporate detent mechanism, acting in cooperation with pinion 32, to provide some restraint on the free rotation thereof. This is particularly desirable in the elevated position of the pomade cup 40 since, in this position, end wise pressure on the pomade, and consequently on the elevator mechanism, will occur in the process of applying the pomade to the lips of the user. While the elevator may be maintained in its raised position simply by maintaining thumb pressure on the exposed periphery of pinion 32 at access 38, a spring ball detent can be incorporated to assist in restraining the retraction of the elevator under such conditions. One arrangement for this is shown in FIG. 1 in which insert 28 is provided with a socket 60 and a detent ball 62 which is held in engagement with the teeth on the periphery of pinion 32 by means of a spring 64.

In place of the spring ball detent specifically illustrated, the restraint on free rotation of pinion 32 may be obtained in other ways. For example, the upper edge of access aperture 38 in case 26 may be made to touch the periphery of pinion 32 and act as a pawl. The hub area of pinion 32 should preferably be formed in such arrangement to provide sufficient resilience to permit distortion to take place upon pressure of the thumb against the outer periphery of the pinion, permitting temporary disengagement of the periphery of the pinion from the upper edge of access aperture 34 for free rotation of the pinion. Upon release of the thumb pressure, the pinion will automatically resume its original position causing the edge of the aperture to engage and interfere with the periphery of the pinion.

Case members 22, 24, can of course be formed of molded plastic, although drawn metal cases are here illustrated and are commonly preferred because of decorative or artistic finishes that can be applied thereto to enhance their appearance. Other modifications and changes in the particular lipstick described above will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is accordingly contemplated that such changes as fall within the scope or the equivalency range of the appended claims are comprehended by this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cosmetic container for cosmetic mass supported therein for movement to and from an exposed applicating position at one end of said container, which comprises in combination;

(a) an elongated cylindrical case having an open end;

(b) a cylindrical plastic insert telescopingly received in the opposite end of said case;

(c) a cosmetic carrier axially slidable in said case above said insert, toward and away from said open end;

(d) an axially extending bore in said cylindrical insert and a stem on said cosmetic carrier telescopingly received in said bore;

(e) said cylindrical insert having a diametrically extending axial slot in its upper end intersecting said bore;

(f) a thumb-wheel journaled in said slot in peripheral contact with the stem of said cosmetic carrier for driving engagement therewith to produce movement of said carrier to and from applicating position with rotation of said thumb-wheel in opposite directions;

. and

(g) said thumb-wheel having axle means extending from its opposite sides and said cylindrical insert having axle-receiving socket means in the sidewalls of said axial slot, said axle-receiving socket means opening onto the upper edge of said cylindrical insert and having axle-restraining portions between the inner end of said sockets and the upper edge of said cylindrical insert to prevent free egress of the ends of said thumb-wheel axle from said socket means; and

(h) an aperture in said case in registration with said thumb-wheel to permit finger access thereto, said aperture being located diametrically opposite said point of contact of said thumb-wheel and carrier stern, whereby to provide finger access to a portion of the periphery of said thumb-wheel.

2. A cosmetic container as defined in claim I, wherein said axle-receiving sockets are bayonet slots. formed in 5 opposite side walls of said axial slot, each of said bayonet slots having a leg opening onto the upper end of said insert and having its other leg extending parallel to the major diameter of said insert.

3. A cosmetic carrier as defined in claim 1, which further includes resilient detent means engaging the periphery of said thumb-wheel to restrict the rotation thereof.

4. A cosmetic container as defined in claim 1, wherein said carrier stem is provided with a lateral abutment at its lower end and said insert is provided with a cooperating abutment at the upper end of said axial bore, which abut- THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. MARTHA L. RICE, Examiner. 

1. A COSMETIC CONTAINER FOR COSMETIC MASS SUPPORTED THEREIN FOR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM AN EXPOSED APPLICATING POSITION AT ONE END OF SAID CONTAINER, WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION; (A) AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CASE HAVING AN OPEN END; (B) A CYLINDIRCAL PLASTIC INSERT TELESCOPINGLY RECEIVED IN THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID CASE; (C) A COSMETIC CARRIER AXIALLY SLIDABLE IN SAID CASE ABOVE SAID INSERT, TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID OPEN END; (D) AN AXIALLY EXTENDING BORE IN SAID CYLINDRICAL INSERT AND A STEM ON SAID COSMETIC CARRIER TELESCOPINGLY RECEIVED IN SAID BORE; (E) SAID CYLINDRICAL INSERT HAVING A DIAMETRICALLY EXTENDING AXIAL SLOT IN ITS UPPER END INTERSECTING SAID BORE; (F) A THUMB-WHEEL JOURNALED IN SAID SLOT IN PERIPHERAL CONTACT WITH THE STEM OF SAID COSMETIC CARRIER FOR DRIVING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH TO PRODUCE MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIER TO AND FROM APPLICATING POSITION WITH ROTATION OF SAID THUMB-WHEEL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS; AND 